If you haven't already heard of cryolipolysis, it's a procedure used for non-surgical fat removal so as to accomplish weight loss and body contouring. As we age, some parts of the body tend to accumulate fat more than others, and these are the areas that typical require contouring, so as to leave you looking and feeling much better. It accomplishes this by fat freezing, since body fat cells are highly susceptible to cold temperatures, and will die off if exposed to sufficiently cool temps.

Current treatment paradigms in cryolipolysis call for exposing a targeted area to the cold temperature generated by a fat freezing machine, and when subcutaneous fat cells are frozen, they simply die off. Once fat cells die, they are absorbed into the lymphatic system, where they are then eliminated through the body's natural processes of elimination. It might take between three and 12 weeks for all the dead fat cells to be eliminated, but you'll notice a streamlined appearance in as little as a single session. The good news is that the Food and Drug Administration has endorsed cryolipolysis as a procedure which has scientific support, and can actually accomplish your body contouring objectives through fat reduction.

Plastic surgeons and cosmetic surgeons all around the country are being asked to perform this procedure, because it has proven to be very effective and because it is completely non-invasive. Given the fact that it is so non-invasive, it can be performed in any office or treatment area on an outpatient basis, and afterward a patient can go home under their own power. Since there is little or no disruption to the body, no downtime is needeed, and you won't even have to take any time off work to get a session done.

Average fat reduction for any given patient will depend on the areas of the body being targeted, and the degree of fat reduction desired. Some of the areas most commonly addressed by cryolipolysis are the waist and abdomen, the upper back area, the upper and inner parts of the thighs, and the arms. Some of these areas are capable of accumulating much more excess fat than others, so the amount of fat you lose will be directly associated with the area being targeted.

How is cryolipolysis performed?

Because the fat freezing machine itself is generally quite portable, cryolipolysis can be performed in a doctor's office, in a treatment area, or in any center for cosmetic or plastic surgery. The first step in the cryolipolysis procedure will be to assess the targeted areas to determine the amounts of fat which are deposited in the area, and the specific area is then defined by skin marking pencil. Then a gel is administered to the target area so as to protect the skin during the freezing procedure.

Since this is a non-invasive procedure, patients will be awake during the entire process. Once the gel has been applied to the skin, a handheld device known as an applicator will be used to freeze an entire layer of fat cells directly beneath the skin. After this, the cryolipolysis machine will begin generating a very cold temperature in the area between 0 degrees Centigrade and -11 degrees Centigrade, and this is what kills off the fat cells. It will generally take up to an hour in order for all the fat cells in a specific area to be exposed to the cold temperature and to die off.

The patient won't feel much of anything, other than a slight stinging or numbness as the cooling process takes hold. Even after one session, you may notice a streamlined version of the target area, since the fat cells will have been killed off and absorbed into the lymphatic system. Keep in mind that it will take as long as three months for all the dead fat cells to make their way out of the body through natural elimination processes. You should be able to tell even after one session that the fat in a particular area has been eliminated, even if it remains in the body for several more weeks.

Benefits of cryolipolysis

The benefits of criolipolisis are numerous, and what's even better, the fat loss is a permanent condition that will not return unless you fall into bad habits such as overeating and avoiding exercise. Here are a few of the advantages you'll notice after having undergone the fat reduction procedure:

• non-invasive - you'll love the fact that cryolipolysis is a non-invasive procedure that requires no downtime and no surgical incisions. That means you can schedule it literally almost anytime at all, and you won't have to worry about missing work or scheduling it around other commitments.

• low risk - There is no risk of infection whatsoever, and the procedure itself is extremely safe, so there are very few risks associated with it, even if there might be some minor side effects or disadvantages to the procedure.

• simple process - cryolipolysis can be performed on an outpatient basis, which keeps the entire procedure as simple as possible and makes it easy for both patient and healthcare professional.

• no anesthetics - given that this is a non-invasive procedure, patients do not require sedation or anesthesia prior to undergoing cryolipolysis.

• multiple treatment areas - during a single session of cryolipolysis, it will be possible to treat multiple areas of the body, so you won't have to schedule as many sessions.

• no downtime - following any fat freezing procedure, you'll be able to return to your normal activities almost immediately, since there's no downtime involved.

• no specific age requirements - people of any age can be eligible for cryolipolysis, although it is unusual for a very young person to have need of this kind of procedure.

• no peripheral damage - the process targets subcutaneous fat cells, and does no damage to muscles, blood vessels, nerves, or your skin anywhere in the region surrounding the targeted area.

• results are permanent - once you freeze and kill off those fat cells, they are eliminated from the body forever, and will not return unless you take up poor lifestyle habits afterward.

• increased self-confidence - because you're looking and feeling much better following a cryolipolysis session, your self-confidence will probably increase significantly. This can serve you well in your daily life, on the job, or in any of your social encounters.

Risks associated with cryolipolysis

As mentioned previously, cryolipolysis is a very safe and effective procedure, but it doesn't mean that it is entirely without side effects or any kind of disadvantages. One disadvantage might be that the procedure is only recommended for individuals enjoying general good health, with no neurological problems. The procedure is not intended to resolve issues for people who are obese or severely overweight, so it is not recommended for these individuals. It's much more a procedure used for relatively minor fat loss in such areas as the abdomen or waist, the thighs, and in the upper back area.

While this isn't exactly a disadvantage, it is true that more than a single session is generally needed in order to accomplish patients' objectives with fat loss. Only so much can be accomplished during a single session, which means it's generally necessary to schedule several sessions in order to completely eliminate the fat from a targeted area. When multiple sessions are needed, it will be necessary to schedule sessions six to eight weeks apart, although less time may be needed, depending on the exact method being used.

A big part of this delay stems from the fact that it takes a while for fat cells to be eliminated from the body, and it's always best to start the next session after previous fat cells have been eliminated. The process of elimination being somewhat drawn out, it means that for the most part, individuals will not notice immediate results after the session. It can take as long as three months for fat cells to be completely eliminated, and that's generally when a person will notice optimal results from the procedure.

When a patient undergoes the process known as CoolSculpting, there is a rare side effect that sometimes occurs called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia. While this is a very rare condition, it does cause an increase in fat cell size following the procedure, which is basically the exact opposite of what cryolipolysis attempts to achieve. While scientists are not sure exactly why this occurs, it does appear to be more common in people who have an Hispanic background, as opposed to other ethnicities.

Are you a good candidate for cryolipolysis?

While most people are eligible to undergo cryolipolysis, it is not recommended for absolutely everyone. For instance, people who are severely overweight or obese are not considered to be good candidates for the procedure, since it is not really capable of penetrating through multiple layers of fat. It should also not be performed on people who have skin conditions, or who have injuries or cuts anywhere close to the area being targeted. People with varicose veins or dermatitis, and other types of skin lesions are also not good candidates for the procedure.

If you're someone who is sensitive to cold or who has an intolerance to cold temperatures, you may not be a good candidate for cryolipolysis. Anyone who has cryoglobulinemia, which is a form of vasculitis that can cause proteins in the bloodstream to solidify when cold, would not be a good candidate for the procedure. This can cause blood vessels to become blocked or obstructed, and can lead to a great many other issues. You might be someone who has paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, which is a very rare autoimmune disease that causes damage to red blood cells when exposed to cold temperatures.

Another disqualifying condition might be or urticaria, a medical condition that causes hives or red spots to develop when cool temperatures are applied. Someone with cold agglutinin disease should not undertake cryolipolysis either, since this is an autoimmune disease that causes the body to attack its own red blood cells, the condition being exacerbated by cold temperatures. Anyone who is pregnant should not consider cryolipolysis, nor should a mother undertake the procedure while nursing a newborn infant.

There are some other conditions which may pose a risk to undergoing cryolipolysis, for instance neuropathy, inflammatory skin disorders, and skin conditions brought on by immune system disorders. Some examples of these kinds of disorders are psoriasis and eczema. Many of these disqualifying conditions are relatively rare, and will not affect most potential candidates for cryolipolysis. However, if you happen to fall into any of the categories described in this section, you should not attempt the fat freezing procedure, since it could cause other health issues.

Side effects

Any side effects that you might experience after cryolipolysis will be relatively minor, and will generally subside soon after the procedure has been performed. Most patients experience nothing whatsoever, although some will notice a tingling sensation on the skin as the procedure is being performed. Afterward, there could be some redness or swelling in the treated area. If the specific cryolipolysis procedure you underwent was CoolSculpting, you may also notice some skin discoloration or bruising, as well as some numbness or sensitivity. None of these are major issues and should not be cause for alarm, since they almost always subside very quickly once the procedure has finished.

How many treatments are necessary?

Even if you only have one problem area, it will probably require several cryolipolysis treatment sessions to have the fat removed. When it does become necessary to schedule multiple treatment sessions, they will have to be scheduled several weeks apart, but you won't have to miss any work time to undertake the procedure.

You can get a much better idea of how many sessions will be needed for your particular objectives by discussing it thoroughly with your medical professional. Once you've conveyed your goals through cryolipolysis, the specialist will be able to estimate the number of sessions it will take to achieve them. Most situations generally only require a few sessions in order to eliminate fat from a targeted area, and after this, you'll feel better and look better for the future.